Tennis Picks 2026 (Saturday 1st August)

The tournaments continue on Saturday and, unfortunately, there has been some timing issues that have prevented me from writing out a fuller thread.

It has been a decent week, but there is still time for things to move either in a positive or negative direction and so it is important to round things out with a couple more winners ahead of the Canadian Masters.

MY PICKS: Taylor Fritz - 1.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Jessica Pegula - 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Weekly Update: 5-3, + 1.14 Units (8 Units Staked, + 14.25% Yield)

Canadian Masters Tennis Picks 2025 (Friday 1st August)

The Canadian Masters continues on Friday and after an emotional night a couple of days ago when Eugenie Bouchard called time on her career in front of the home fans.

Injuries limited the impact Bouchard was able to make following a breakthrough year on the Tour over a decade ago and in reality it has felt like she had moved onto the next stage of her career already having joined the Pickleball Tour.

Some top names are in action on Friday as we conclude the Third Round and edge ever closer to the strange end of the tournaments, which are scheduled for next Thursday rather than the weekend as most events conclude.

The US Open is beginning at the end of August and the move into the month may just double down the focus for all of the players involved here before the Tour moves onto Cincinnati. Winning events now are no guarantee of playing well in New York City, but the confidence boost cannot hurt, especially in the men's tournament which is missing arguably the three favourites for the final Grand Slam of the year.

The weekly total will be added to this thread on Friday morning when the night session in Toronto/Montreal has been completed with the sole selection made on Thursday to be played in the early hours of the morning.

Ben Shelton - 2.5 games v Brandon Nakashima: In individual sports like tennis, there does sometimes feel like a hierarchy is in place between compatriots- the World Ranking will show that more often than not, but there is also a mental challenge for a lower Ranked or younger player when it comes to facing someone whose game they will be very familiar with.

Maybe that is the case for Brandon Nakashima when going up against fiery Ben Shelton who has won all four of their previous matches on the Tour.

Two of those wins have been this year on the hard courts of Melbourne and Indian Wells, while twelve months ago, Ben Shelton also beat Brandon Nakashima in Washington. All nine sets have been won by Shelton, the World Number 7 and a leading hope for American fans when it comes to the US Open which will begin later in the month.

Brandon Nakashima made harder work of his Second Round win on Wednesday than it needed to be, but he played well and continues to beat those that he is expected to beat, especially on the hard courts. However, it is not only Ben Shelton who has caused him problems on the surface and Nakashima has something to prove in this Third Round match in Toronto.

Over the last twelve months, Brandon Nakashima has a 9-12 record on the hard courts when facing opponents Ranked higher than himself, but that reads 1-6 when only considering matches played in 2025. The numbers have been really poor as far as the World Number 32 is concerned with the hold of serve percentage dipping to 78% in those matches and breaks of serve being converted in just 10% of return games played.

You would have to expect Brandon Nakashima to be able to roll through some of his service games in this match, but it is hard to know how he will be able to create chances against the Ben Shelton serve.

Scoreboard pressure becomes a factor if that is the case and in the three previous hard court matches between the compatriots, Brandon Nakashima has broken in 8% of service games and won fewer than 30% of the points played on the Shelton delivery.

Ben Shelton is still a player looking to develop his game into a position where he can win a Grand Slam, even if he has made big impacts at Major level in his short time on the Tour. One of the key areas that needs to be improved is the return of serve and Shelton should be given credit for the fact that he is winning a few more points and breaking a bit more in hard court matches in 2025 compared with 2024.

One may be all that is needed to cover this handicap mark set and Ben Shelton's history against his fellow American is tough to ignore as he looks to reach the business end of the tournament north of the border.

Emma Raducanu v Amanda Anisimova: She toughed out her first match on the Tour since the Wimbledon Final and Amanda Anisimova has to be given credit for getting back to winning ways.

There is no doubt that the confidence will have been hurt by the manner of the loss to Iga Swiatek, but over the next few weeks Amanda Anisimova will be on familiar ground in the United States and the fans are going to be firmly behind her. This should help in Cincinnati and at the US Open, but it may be tougher to find support in Montreal against Emma Raducanu, who was born in Canada, although moved to the United Kingdom when very young and so represents Great Britain.

It has been tough for Emma Raducanu to live up to the hype of the US Open win in 2021, but there have been some positive signs that the tennis is picking back up.

Two more solid runs in Montreal and Cincinnati may see Emma Raducanu Seeded when the US Open draw is made and there have been plenty of wins put on the board to rebuild some confidence. Solid runs on the grass courts would have been expected and Raducanu has backed that up by beginning her bid for a second US Open when reaching the Semi Final in Washington.

She has had to play through two Rounds at the Canadian Masters and Emma Raducanu has really impressed in her wins over Elena Gabriela Ruse and Peyton Stearns.

Of course this is a much tougher match, but Emma Raducanu will hold the mental edge over Amanda Anisimova having beaten her at the Australian Open and in Miami. Both hard court wins have been deserved with Raducanu creating 10 Break Points in each match and Amanda Anisimova has yet to win a set.

The overall hard court numbers produced by these two players are actually very similar over the course of the season- Amanda Anisimova may have more faith in her second serve, but Emma Raducanu has been the slightly more effective return player and it is the latter who has been able to impose her strengths with more consistency in the two matches played against one another.

Amanda Anisimova is a very good player and the World Number 7, but the momentum may be with Emma Raducanu right now and she can edge through in this good Third Round match.

Elina Svitolina - 4.5 games v Anna Kalinskaya: Outside of the absolute elite, women's tennis have had a number of upstarts put together a solid year, but who have been unable to sustain the success they have been having.

Anna Kalinskaya was just outside of the top ten in the World Rankings in October 2024, but injury and a loss of form has held her back and her overall hard court numbers in 2025 have been disappointing.

However, she reached the Final in Washington last weekend and two wins have been earned in Montreal, which will just help the World Number 31 as she looks to secure a Seeding for the US Open. However, it has been far from easy this week at the Canadian Masters with Kalinskaya needing to play all six sets possible in her two wins, while also spending a lot of time on the court.

She has perhaps been fortunate to win her opening two matches having put in so much effort last week in Washington and you have to wonder if that is going to catch up with her.

Next up is a match against Elina Svitolina, who won't find it hard to be motivated when facing a Russian national, and the World Number 13 continues to be a consistent performer on the hard courts. Winning a Grand Slam remains the ambition in what has been an era of opportunity for women's players without a dominant Champion leading the way, but Elina Svitolina has not quite been able to get over the line.

A 28-15 record on the hard courts since the beginning of 2024 underlines the confidence Elina Svitolina has when playing on this surface.

She was a solid Second Round winner in Montreal and Elina Svitolina should have plenty more in the tank compared with her opponent having not played a tournament since Wimbledon.

These two players have met twice on the Tour on clay and on the hard courts and both matches have been won very well by Elina Svitolina. She should be able to exert her will on this match against a potentially tired opponent and that could allow the highest Ranked player to also cover a decent sized line on the handicap.

Naomi Osaka - 3.5 games v Jelena Ostapenko: Overall the numbers have continued to look decent, but Naomi Osaka is perhaps still struggling with dealing with the twists and turns that any match can potentially take.

There is something to be said about playing points with the match state in mind, but that is not always something that is seen from Naomi Osaka and especially not since returning to the Tour in a full time capacity.

Talent-wise, no one is going to deny how good Osaka can be- she has won four Grand Slam titles and that is more than the likes of Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff. However, the lack of consistency has held her back and that is going to be the main reason that Naomi Osaka will enter the US Open as a dark horse, rather than a favourite like she would have been when at her very best.

She did show plenty of fight and desire to beat Liudmila Samsonova in the Second Round, although Naomi Osaka was very close to being dumped out of the tournament.

In that match, Osaka was not seen as nearly the same strength of favourite as she is going to be in this Third Round match against Jelena Ostapenko.

Prior to the tournament, Jelena Ostapenko had a 6-8 record on the hard courts and five of those wins came in the same event in Doha when reaching the Final. One other win was in Adelaide and the World Number 26 might find the opponent standing across the other side of the net as having too much firepower for her.

Jelena Ostapenko is a steady performer on the hard courts, but she is very reliant on the first serve landing. If she is serving well, she is tough to beat, but her first serve average is not that high and that has allowed opponents to attack the second serve and force an aggressive player to ramp up that aggression on the return.

Any loose balls offered up to the former French Open Champion will be thumped, but there is going to be plenty of power coming from the other side of the net and Naomi Osaka will feel she can out-hit this player.

That was the case at the US Open last year, although Naomi Osaka has to find a bit more consistency in her return game if she is going to have serious ambitions of getting back amongst the elite. She can be helped in this match if Jelena Ostapenko is giving up plenty of looks at the second serve and that should help the lower Ranked player come through with a solid victory.

MY PICKS: Ben Shelton - 2.5 Games @ 1.85 William Hill (1 Unit)

Emma Raducanu @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Elina Svitolina - 4.5 Games @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

Naomi Osaka - 3.5 Games @ 1.87 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Taylor Fritz - 2.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Weekly Update: 4-1, + 2.12 Units (5 Units Staked, + 42.40% Yield)

Paris Olympics Tennis Day 6 Picks 2024 (Thursday 1st August)

There may only be four players left in the women's draw as we enter Day 6 of the Olympic Games in Paris, but it still feels like a tough situation knowing only one will fail to win a Medal.

Would it be better to have two Bronze Medals for the two losing Semi Finalists? The competitor in me thinks not, but you have to sympathise with any player who reaches the last four and is not able to earn a Medal.

Ultimately winning Bronze is an achievement and not a consolation and so a big couple of days is coming up for the Singles players- the women's Gold Medal match is actually set to be played on Saturday so the two winning Semi Finalists will both finally have a day of rest between matches, but the second Semi Final losing player will not have a lot of time to prepare for the Bronze Medal match set for Friday.

The men's Gold Medal match will be played on Sunday, but the Quarter Finals are all to be played on Day 6 at the tournament before moving into the Semi Final matches on Friday and the Bronze Medal match on Saturday.

The women's event has produced a fair few more surprise results than the men's, but Iga Swiatek has come through a scare in the Quarter Final win over Danielle Collins. She remains a very strong favourite to win the Gold Medal on her favoured surface, while Anna Schmiedlova and Qinwen Zheng are definitely more surprising names for the last four.

We remain on a collision course to see Carlos Alcaraz vs Novak Djokovic again, although there are still one or two players in the draw that will certainly feel they have a part to play. This should mean a very good end to the Paris Olympics before the Tours shift to Canada for the Masters event beginning next week and the full attention of the sport will be on the US Open which is now a little under a month away from beginning in New York City.

Novak Djokovic - 3.5 games v Stefanos Tsitsipas: There have already been two memorable matches between Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas on the Roland Garros grounds as they prepare to meet in the Olympic Games Quarter Final in Paris.

Both times it is Novak Djokovic who has come out on top- in 2020 he beat Stefanos Tsitsipas in the French Open Quarter Final after blowing a 2-0 lead and needing a fifth set, but more important was the French Open Final win in 2022 when Djokovic came from 2-0 behind to prevent Tsitsipas from winning a maiden Grand Slam title.

Over two years later, Stefanos Tsitsipas is still waiting to win a Grand Slam title, but winning the Gold Medal would be a big achievement for him and his nation. A solid win was produced in the Third Round over Sebastian Baez, but there is still a feeling that Tsitsipas needs to find another level if he is going to get one over on Novak Djokovic, who is desperate to win the Gold Medal to 'complete' his tennis career.

The return has been key for Stefanos Tsitsipas in the last couple of Rounds having just about gotten through his opening match, but it will be tough to have the same impact against the Novak Djokovic serve. The latter has won at least 68% of points behind serve in each of his three wins this week and that is a very strong number for the clay courts, while Djokovic has won just shy of 67% of service points against Tsitsipas in their five previous clay court meetings.

This is a surface on which Tsitsipas may feel he has his best chance of upsetting Novak Djokovic, although the fact he has lost all five previous matches on the red dirt is going to be a mental obstacle to overcome. It has not been the best year on the clay for the World Number 11, and Novak Djokovic is likely going to feel pretty comfortable within this match up considering the form he has shown this week.

He has created plenty of Break Point chances and has been efficient with his chances when they have come up, and that is likely going to mean there is pressure on the Stefanos Tsitsipas game.

Facing arguably the greatest return player of all time is challenging in any circumstance, but Tsitsipas has not really been as strong behind his serve as he would have liked this week. The dominant win over Daniel Evans aside, Tsitsipas was tested by Sebastian Baez and Zizou Bergs on this side of his tennis and Novak Djokovic is likely going to offer a much sterner examination of his serve.

There is confidence in the way Stefanos Tsitsipas is carrying himself, but outside of the Monte Carlo Masters, he has a 1-7 record against top 10 opponents over the last twelve months and that is hard to ignore. The player himself will know full well about his own record, and that can play a part in giving Novak Djokovic enough of an edge to win and cover.

Carlos Alcaraz - 4.5 games v Tommy Paul: There is no doubt that the French Open and Wimbledon Champion will have a lot of respect for the capabilities of Tommy Paul on a tennis court as these two opponents prepare to meet for a second time in a month.

The match at Wimbledon saw the first two sets split, but it was Carlos Alcaraz who took control of the match and ultimately won that Quarter Final in four sets as he pulled away from the American.

The previous four matches had all be played on a hard court and had been split with two wins each so this is not a match up that Carlos Alcaraz will take lightly. He has been playing in the Doubles tournament alongside Rafael Nadal this week and managing the workload will be as challenging as the opponent on the other side of the net with the limited time off to prepare.

Despite that, Carlos Alcaraz has played well in the Singles tournament and he has been producing at the kind of high level expected from a player that won the French Open here just a little over six weeks ago. The serve really has been working at a superb level in this tournament and that is always going to give Carlos Alcaraz opportunities to roll through matches.

Prior to the Roland Garros victory, Alcaraz had not been at his absolute best on the clay, but that victory and the three wins here suggests he will be very difficult to beat at the Olympic Games. Serving well in this event has allowed Carlos Alcaraz to dominate on the return of serve and it will be a real test for Tommy Paul to keep this one competitive on arguably his worst surface.

That is not to say that Tommy Paul cannot perform on the clay, as he showed when reaching the Rome Masters Semi Final earlier this year. However, playing on the red dirt has been a tough experience for Paul and someone like Carlos Alcaraz should have far too much for him over the course of the ninety minutes they are likely going to spend on court.

Carlos Alcaraz has broken the Tommy Paul serve in 28% of return games played and that on the faster surfaces- on this surface, Alcaraz should have a little more success and that should put the Spaniard in a position to win and cover as he looks for his place in the Semi Final.

MY PICKS: Novak Djokovic - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Carlos Alcaraz - 4.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Alexander Zverev - 3.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Olympic Games Update: 6-7, - 4.10 Units (26 Units Staked, - 15.78% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2023 (August 1st)

Monday was a busier day than usual for scheduled matches on the Tour, but nothing of interest came up for the Picks.

After a solid end to last week, I am looking for the momentum to continue on Tuesday where I have a single selection from Kitzbuhel.

Any Picks from Washington and Los Cabos will be added to this thread.

Daniel Altmaier - 3.5 games v Marc-Andrea Huesler: A really poor run of form on the clay courts will be difficult to shift for Marc-Andrea Huesler as he takes on an opponent who has put some strong results together on the surface.

Daniel Altmaier is at a career best World Ranking and he can move into the top 50 for the first time with a decent run here.

Two years ago he reached the Semi Final in Kitzbuhel, while the German reached the Quarter Final in Hamburg last week. Overall his numbers on the clay courts have been pretty good and he is facing an opponent who has lost his last seven matches on the red dirt, including First Round defeats in Gstaad and Umag in the last couple of weeks.

The challenge only increases for Huesler when noting he has lost both previous matches to Daniel Atmaier and both of those were on the clay courts- he was beaten in Geneva two years ago, but Altmaier also won their meeting in the First Round at the French Open without dropping a set.

On that day Daniel Altmaier had a significant edge on the serve and he should be able to get into the Marc-Andrea Huesler serve in this First Round match too. I would expect Altmaier to have the majority of Break Points in the match and he is playing well enough to believe he can get the better of the Swiss player who has been struggling on the clay as much as he has in 2023.

Kei Nishikori - 1.5 games v Lloyd Harris: Two players who have had injury issues to drop them well out of the top 100 of the World Rankings are hoping the US hard courts gives them an opportunity to get closer to the level they once showed.

This only makes this a bigger match for both Lloyd Harris and Kei Nishikori, who enjoyed strong tournaments in Atlanta last week.

Out of the two, Kei Nishikori is perhaps going to be offered a couple more Wild Cards into the biggest events compared with Lloyd Harris and so the harder path back towards the top of the ATP Tour will definitely need to be treaded by the South African. His results on the hard courts have been mixed, but the run in Atlanta will have helped his confidence, although he is facing a Kei Nishikori that has found a decent level on his return to the Tour.

Taylor Fritz ended his run last week and went on to win the title in Atlanta, but Kei Nishikori has won a title at Challenger level on his favourite surface and the former US Open Finalist will still feel more is to come.

Of course you can never really know how your body is going to react after such a long lay off from the Tour and playing weekly is tough, but Kei Nishikori does hold a win over Lloyd Harris on the hard courts of Washington and that will give him a boost.

He should have the edge on the return of serve too and Kei Nishikori can battle past this opponent.

Emil Ruusuvuori - 2.5 games v Yoshihito Nishioka: You have to first note that Yoshihito Nishioka made the Final in Washington last year and so has to be afforded a lot of respect as potential being a 'horse for course' in an environment he would have enjoyed.

However, the opponent has been less positive for Nishioka who has lost all three pro matches against Emil Ruusuvuori and on all three surfaces on the Tour. The defeat on the hard courts was a premature one as Nishioka had to withdraw in the middle of the match, but the defeats on the clay and grass have been much more routine and this is a tough match up for him.

2023 has already proved to be a tough year on the hard courts for Yoshihito Nishioka who was beaten early in Atlanta last week and has been beaten in his last five matches played on the surface.

In saying that, Emil Ruusuvuori had lost a bit of confidence having lost five matches in a row before arriving in Washington, but he was a solid winner in the First Round, which should help. He has shown he is a solid hard court player and Ruusuvuori is expected to have an edge on the serve, as has been the case in the previous meetings between these players too.

When you have been struggling for confidence, nothing will come easy, but the win in the First Round is expected to provide a major boost for the player from Finland. There should be breaks of serve both ways, but I am expecting Emil Ruusuvuori to come out on top more often than not and get the better of Yoshihito Nishioka again.

MY PICKS: Daniel Altmaier - 3.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Kei Nishikori - 1.5 Games @ 1.87 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Emil Ruusuvuori - 2.5 Games @ 1.87 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Olympic Tennis Day 9 Picks 2021 (August 1st)

The Tokyo Olympics are concluded for the Tennis tournament on Sunday with the Men's Gold Medal match and I do think it has the potential of being a good one.

Karen Khachanov + 3.5 games v Alexander Zverev: The Gold Medal has been decided in the Women's event and the Bronze Medal in both the Women's and Men's event was also played on Saturday. That leaves the Sunday clear for the Men's Gold Medal match between Alexander Zverev and Karen Khachanov as they look to secure the biggest title of their careers which could spark more to come at Grand Slam level.

The challenge in the Grand Slams is different in the best of five set format, but this Gold Medal match has changed format back into the best of the three set format. That should aid both Alexander Zverev and Karen Khachanov, although the pressure of winning a major title is something they will be relatively unfamiliar with.

Alexander Zverev has experienced playing in a US Open Final and that should help him massively in the Gold Medal match. He did blow a strong opportunity to win that Slam last year, but the German is coming off a confidence boosting win over the World Number 1 and he is going to head into the Final as a significant favourite.

The tournament has been a really strong one for Alexander Zverev and that will further the belief in the player that he can win this Gold Medal and perhaps use it to spark further success on the Tour. Alexander Zverev's serve is a big weapon, but the conditions have suited him in Tokyo when it comes to the return and that makes him very dangerous.

However, I don't think you can draw a line through the chances of Karen Khachanov who had a very strong win in the Semi Final and looks to be at home in the conditions himself. He has spent longer on the court than Alexander Zverev, but Karen Khachanov has had a couple of days off and the comfortable win in the Semi Final will have given him ample time to refresh and get ready for the biggest match of his career.

Like Zverev, Karen Khachanov has been really strong behind his serve and I think that gives him a chance of the upset. The Russian has also been impressive on the return and his head to head with Alexander Zverev will certainly offer further encouragement.

It has been a couple of years since these players last met on the professional Tour, but Karen Khachanov has won the last two matches to pull himself back to 2-2 against Alexander Zverev. Both those wins have come on a faster hard court than the one that they will be playing on in Tokyo, but they are two wins that will give Karen Khachanov a lot of belief in his ability to knock off the favourite.

Over their three previous hard court matches, Karen Khachanov has held in 88% of service games played against Alexander Zverev compared with the 64% mark of the latter. Karen Khachanov has dominated the break points created in the last two matches between the pair and I do think the Russian can be backed with a start to at least keep this one close.

I think he can take a set which would give him the chance of the cover and Karen Khachanov is worth siding with in this Gold Medal match before all the players move across to North America for preparation towards the US Open.

MY PICKS: Karen Khachanov + 3.5 Games @ 1.85 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Olympic Game: 25-18, + 4.06 Units (88 Units Staked, + 4.61% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2019 (August 1st)

I didn't have a lot of luck on Wednesday with the Tennis Picks being made and a couple of games would have literally swung the day to be a very strong one. In saying that, I can't complain whenever a winning record is put on the board and that continues to turn this week back around.

On Thursday I will be adding any Tennis Picks to this thread once the markets in Washington and Los Cabos have been set. Those matches are being put together during the night as the full Second Round is completed in both events to try and ensure the tournaments are completed before the Canada Masters begins this weekend.

Hopefully it can be one more positive day to get this week back into the black. I will also update the weekly totals once all of the Wednesday Picks have been played.


Daniil Medvedev - 2.5 games v Frances Tiafoe: Playing in front of home crowds should always be a boost for players and I do think someone like Frances Tiafoe will thrive in those kind of conditions. He was a comfortable winner in the Second Round, but the level of opponent increases significantly when he faces Daniil Medvedev in the Third Round.

There has been a consistency to the Tiafoe performances on the hard courts and the numbers he has produced in 2019 are virtually identical to 2018. In both seasons the American has held 81% of his service games played on the surface, and he has won 64% of service points played in each year too.

Even on the return there are similarities with Tiafoe breaking in 19% of return games in 2018 and moving that to 20% in 2019. This season he has more breaks but he is winning slightly fewer return points in terms of a percentage and Tiafoe's numbers are fairly average on the hard courts.

Now Frances Tiafoe has to face Daniil Medvedev who only recently reached a new career high of Number 9 in the World Rankings. The Russian has shown significant improvement on the hard courts in 2019 and he is playing some of his best tennis on the surface this year.

He has continued to prove to be effective behind serve having held 84% of his service games played on the hard courts in 2019. The numbers are similar to 2018 in terms of hold percentage, but Medvedev is actually winning a higher percentage of points behind serve, while the real key to his success on the surface has been the improvement in the return.

Last year Daniil Medvedev broke in 24% of return games on the hard courts, but he has improved that number to 28% in 2019. He looked strong in his Second Round win over Bjorn Fratangelo and I think he can get the better of Tiafoe in this one too.

I was hoping that Medvedev would still be a little under-rated by the layers, but they are on top of him at the moment. However I think he should have been favoured to cover a handicap number slightly higher than where the line has been set and I will back Daniil Medvedev to win and cover.

MY PICKS: Daniil Medvedev - 2.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)
Albert Ramos-Vinolas - 1.5 Games @ 1.91 William Hill (2 Units)
Fernando Verdasco - 1.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)
Dominic Thiem - 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)
Stefanos Tsitsipas - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 William Hill (2 Units)
Thanasi Kokkinakis @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)
Fabio Fognini @ 2.10 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Lesia Tsurenko - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 9-9, - 1.08 Units (38 Units Staked, - 2.84% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2018 (August 1st)

After the glorious British summer we have been experiencing, and continue to experience, it is frustrating to see all the rain in Washington which is taking its toll on the ATP and WTA event being played there.

To be fair, Tuesday was a much clearer day which has allowed the majority of matches to be completed, but there are expected to be more rain delays on Wednesday and the rest of the week there.

At least the other events being played in Kitzbuhel, Los Cabos and San Jose look to be getting through the schedule as they would like ahead of the move to Canada and the first of two Masters events to be played before the US Open commences.


It has been a frustrating time for the players, but also a frustrating time for the Tennis Picks which opened the week with a 0-4 start. Thankfully there were signs of getting things turned back around later on Tuesday with three winners from four matches played in Washington, and we also have Alexander Zverev 6-2 up in the first set against Malek Jaziri although I hate matches that have the rain break which can see momentum shift very quickly.

Wednesday offers up a large amount of Second Round matches and the selections I have made can be read below.


Dusan Lajovic - 3.5 games v Dennis Novak: After getting through the tough Qualifiers and reaching the Third Round at Wimbledon for a career best performance, Dennis Novak will be a more familiar face in his home tournament in Kitzbuhel these days.

However it is clear that there is still some big improvements the 24 year old can make if he is really going to become a feature on the main Tour in the years ahead. The World Ranking points earned at Wimbledon and winning a First Round match here will give Novak the chance to enter bigger tournaments in the months ahead, although he still has work to do to crack the top 100.

The performances on clay have not been too bad in 2018, but Novak is going to be challenged by someone who is playing very well on the surface and I think Dusan Lajovic will be able to edge him out in straight sets.

Novak will be the new Austrian Number 2 at the end of this week, but his numbers on the clay are not as strong as Lajovic's and that is despite the latter playing mainly on the ATP Tour compared with Novak's time spent on the Challenger circuit. Lajovic has been very strong behind his serve and he has made a small improvement on his return of serve which has paid off for him.

Has Lajovic been overachieving? Maybe a little bit, but his form has remained strong going back onto the clay courts this past month and I like him to win this with a break more in each set of a straight sets victory.


Matteo Berrettini - 2.5 games v Radu Albot: Winning the first Singles and Doubles titles of his career last week will have given Matteo Berrettini a bunch of confidence, but the question is how much tennis does he have left in the tank?

The fight shown to come back and beat Gilles Simon in the First Round in Kitzbuhel suggests the Italian is not going to roll over for anyone and he did crush Radu Albot on his way to success in Gstaad last week.

Berrettini did not drop a set in Gstaad, but it is playing the Doubles and having success in that tournament too which may have drained the energy levels. That has to be the biggest fear in backing him this week in Kitzbuhel, although Berrettini may feel this is an important time to build up his Ranking points which will offer him direct entry into the Masters events in the months ahead.

Albot did crush Josef Kovalik in the First Round, who had tremendous success last week too, but his clay court numbers are simply not on the level of what Berrettini can produce. The serve is one that the Italian had a lot of success against last week when they played in the First Round in Gstaad and the Italian has a serve of his own which can be very effective for him.

It should be the case at this level and backing Berrettini off the same mark as last week is my selection even with the fatigue issues to consider.


Mischa Zverev - 2.5 games v Tim Smyczek: These two players meet for the second week in a row on the Tour and I think Mischa Zverev has enough to frank the victory he had over Tim Smyczek in Atlanta last week. Even though he needed three sets to get the job done, Zverev was the better player on the day and should really have won much more comfortably than it turned out to be on the scoreboard.

Even then it was relatively straight forward for Zverev who could be in line to face brother Alexander in the next Round if both are able to progress through their Second Round matches on Wednesday.

Smyczek is a solid veteran of the Tour and can blow hot and cold which makes him potentially dangerous for an erratic player like Zverev. The key for the German is going to be how well he can serve on the day with that side of his game struggling on the hard courts so far in 2018, although this time of the season tends to be faster than earlier in the campaign.

He put enough pressure on Smyczek last week to believe in his serve, and Zverev has actually been returning pretty effectively which saw him create 17 break points against the American in Atlanta. That is another match to add to the 2018 calendar when Zverev has produced some of his more effective hard court returning games and could be the key here as he edges out Smyczek for a second week in a row.


Kyle Edmund - 1.5 games v Andy Murray: Most would have read Andy Murray was able to show the grit and determination which has helped him have so much success in his career in the First Round win over McKenzie McDonald in Washington. However Murray himself admitted he will have to be a lot better when he faces Kyle Edmund for the second time during his brief return to the Tour.

When they met on the grass in Eastbourne it was Edmund who dominated Murray and was able to underline his current place as the World Number 1. That is arguably on the weakest surface for Edmund, although the worry for him is that this is the first match back on the hard courts compared with Murray who has the win under his belt.

Edmund didn't have a good time in Indian Wells and Miami earlier this year with losses in his first match at both tournaments, but he is a capable hard court player and right now looks the better of the two Brits.

You can never underestimate Murray and I imagine he has been looking forward to playing Edmund again after being beaten so easily by him at Eastbourne. At this moment I am not sure Murray has enough tennis in his legs to really expect to get the better of Edmund and this is all about getting enough matches into the legs to take into the US Open at the end of the month.

The Edmund serve was a big weapon for him when he beat Murray in Eastbourne and he is a big returner when his eye is in. Again it is the first match on the surface which has to be a concern, but Edmund has that strong run in Australia to help himself ignore the losses in North America and I think he can win this one against the former World Number 1.


Steve Johnson - 2.5 games v Alex De Minaur: It was something of a surprise that Steve Johnson did not enter the Atlanta tournament last week but it may have been a time for the American to rest having won the title in Newport following Wimbledon.

The hard courts should be the surface on which Johnson has his most success and his 9-8 record does not indicate how well he has been performing. There have been some disappointing losses in matches Johnson should have won, but the serve continues to be a big weapon for him and he is returning about as well as ever on this surface.

The return game has always held Johnson back, but the numbers there have been strong enough to think he can get the better of Alex De Minaur in what is going to be their third match of the season.

Both have had a win apiece over the other and those wins have come on home soil for the two players with De Minaur winning in Brisbane and Johnson returning the favour in Irving. The Australian has taken in the hard court event in Atlanta and won a First Round match here which should be factored into things when you think Johnson is returning to the hard courts for the first time in a few months.

De Minaur has some strong 2018 hard court numbers, but the successes came very early in the year when playing in Australia. Since then it has been much tougher for him and there has been a noticeable drop in the service and return numbers since the end of the Australian Open.

That includes the heavy loss to Johnson and I think the latter can use the momentum he built in Newport to make a winning return to the hard courts on Wednesday.


Garbine Muguruza - 2.5 games v Victoria Azarenka: Prior to the injury problems, giving birth, and off court issues relating to custody of her son Victoria Azarenka was one of the top WTA players out there. Many would have assumed she would be leading the way for the next generation of players along with Garbine Muguruza and this match up could have been one which featured in multiple Grand Slam Finals in the years ahead.

Both have had their successes on the Tour, but it has been tough work for Azarenka on her return to the Tour following the clearing of the issues with the father of her baby. Her return has not come with the same discussions as to where she should be Seeded as it has with Serena Williams and that has meant a much tougher return for Azarenka.

She has played well but it is clear that Azarenka has yet to reach anything near the level she could play at when a regular on the Tour. It will come with time, but I think Garbine Muguruza can get the better of her here despite being one of the most erratic top players on the Tour.

The lack of matches since Wimbledon has to be a concern when looking to back Muguruza as is the tendency to blow hot and cold on a week to week basis on the Tour. When the Spaniard is good she is very good though and her numbers on the hard courts have been pretty impressive in 2018 which makes her one of the favourites going into the US Open.

The serve is a key weapon for Muguruza and if she is serving well I would expect her to win this match. While Azarenka is still a quality returner, her own serve can be attacked and so a strong display from Muguruza may be enough to beat the former World Number 1 for the first time.

It should be a quality match in the early hours of Thursday morning, but one I am edging towards Muguruza to get the better of Azarenka in.

MY PICKS: Dusan Lajovic - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Matteo Berrettini - 2.5 Games @ 1.72 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Mischa Zverev - 2.5 Games @ 2.00 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Kyle Edmund - 1.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Steve Johnson - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Garbine Muguruza - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 3-5, - 4.4 Units (16 Units Staked, - 27.5% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2017 (August 1st)

With one tournament being played in Europe and the other four events taking place in North America, it does mean the Tennis Picks will come out at two times this week.

Anything from Kitzbuhel will hopefully be written first and I will add any picks from the tournaments in Los Cabos, Stanford and Washington at some point after that once the 'order of play' is released. Those picks will still be able to be put together a number of hours before the start of play, and will also be the case with the tournaments in Cincinnati and Canada which are coming up as markets are not fully developed as early as the European ones for those of us based in the United Kingdom.

Last week was a difficult one for the tennis picks with so much bad luck surrounding the picks that it did make the frustration levels reach a significant high. There are bigger tournaments ahead in August which means I won't want another week like that one in what has been a difficult season so far for the tennis picks.


I haven't written anything about Novak Djokovic's decision to withdraw from events for the remainder of the 2017 season.

It was a decision I think Djokovic had to make in light of the injuries and emotional stress he has been feeling. But I am not sure he is going to have the immediate impact Roger Federer did on his return from a lay off at the Australian Open because of the different style of play Djokovic has.

While Federer can turn a match on his racquet, that aggressiveness is not shared by Djokovic and rediscovering the consistency that took the Serb to the top of the men's game is likely to take longer than Federer's attacking game returned. Some will question if Djokovic will ever return to the very top of the men's game, and I do think that could be a valid question with his aura of invincibility ended and some of the younger players perhaps ready to take the next step in their careers.

Ruling out a Djokovic return to peak form would be foolish considering how the likes of Federer and Rafael Nadal have played in 2017, but I do wonder if his style is one that can make a quick return to top form after the lay off he is going to be working through over the next several months.


Tuesday will see the remainder of the First Round matches across the tournaments and it is a busy day with the number of matches set to be played on the Tour. Hopefully it will be one where a positive return can be found.


Robin Haase - 3.5 games v Santiago Giraldo: You wouldn't really tick the mental strength column when breaking down the positives of Robin Haase's game so being 0-3 down to Santiago Giraldo in the head to head has to be a concern. However this is a tournament that Haase has played well in before, winning in Kitzbuhel twice before, although the two recent tournaments here for Haase have not been his best.

He is coming in off a run to the Semi Final in Gstaad although Haase has to pick himself up from the disappointment of losing in the Semi Final. Facing an opponent who has won two Qualifiers in the current conditions of a tournament can be tough too and these factors would usually be enough to put me off picking the Dutchman here.

However I am picking Haase to win this match and win by a wide enough margin to cover the games he is being asked to get the better of. The main reason for that is the performances of Haase this season compared with Giraldo whose numbers have declined since he last played Haase in 2015.

Giraldo has particularly been struggling on the clay courts which has to be a worry for the Colombian. His service numbers have been a real concern and Haase has been returning better than the last couple of years on this surface. It is possible the ball flies a little faster in the altitude, which will help Giraldo's serve, but I think Haase should be capable of getting involved in the return games and that area could be the key in earning his first win over Giraldo.

The Haase serve has been effective enough, although there are obvious concerns backing someone as flaky as the Dutchman can be. However he has enough of an edge at a tournament he has enjoyed in the past to come through with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Giraldo.


Jiri Vesely - 3.5 games v Yannick Hanfmann: It was a special week for Yannick Hanfmann in Gstaad having come through the Qualifiers and reaching the Final in Gstaad with some impressive wins under his belt. It was an emotional and physical week for Hanfmann who had to win all four of his main draw matches in three sets before finding Fabio Fognini too good in the Final.

It has moved Hanfmann to the brink of entering the top 100 of the World Rankings as he comes into this tournament at a career best Ranking of Number 125.

That is all a positive for Hanfmann but he hasn't had a lot of time to prepare for this tournament and now faces an opponent who is comfortable on the surface and who can play very well against players Ranked lower than himself. Jiri Vesely feels like a player who needs to be very confident to perform at his best and he tends to be in that position when expected to win a match.

Vesely has reached back to back Quarter Finals in Umag and Hamburg to show he is in good form on the clay courts and he has a very strong return game against players Ranked below him on this surface. That will be tested by Hanfmann if he is serving as well as he was last week, but I do think tiredness has to play a part in this one after investing so much to reach the Final in Gstaad.

I just can't ignore that and I think Hanfmann will be challenged by the Vesely serve which can lead to a 6-4, 6-4 win for the Czech player.


Simona Halep - 5.5 games v Sloane Stephens: After coming so close to winning at the French Open and at Wimbledon, Simona Halep has to show she has the mental strength to deal with her setbacks again. She showed admirable heart at Wimbledon after the really disappointing way Roland Garros ended, but now Halep has to get back to the grind as she takes in a surprising appearance in Washington.

Usually we don't expect to see Halep until the Premier Events in Canada and Cincinnati, but perhaps she feels she needs to get over the disappointment of the last two Slams by getting back on the court. Darren Cahill has made it clear that he wants to see Halep focusing at all times and that has been rewarded with some really positive results over the last three months.

The push towards the US Open will begin for her on Tuesday and in normal circumstances a First Round clash with Sloane Stephens would be far from ideal. The American is going to be well supported here and has had some really good results on the hard courts in her career, although her record against the top 10 Ranked players needs to improve if she is to fulfil the potential people believe she has.

However these aren't normal circumstances as Stephens plays in just her second tournament in twelve months after an injury lay off from the Tour. She played well against Alison Riske at Wimbledon, but it was clear that Stephens is going to need time to get back to the level she once performed at and I am looking for Halep to be a little too good all around for her.

The head to head is only 3-2 in favour of Halep, but she did beat Stephens the last time they met on the hard courts. Barring the American having found some new levels of consistency on her return from injury since Wimbledon, Halep should be able to work her way to a 6-4, 6-2 win.


Alize Cornet + 3.5 games v Catherine Bellis: Most tennis fans who follow the sport outside of the Grand Slams may feel that Catherine Bellis has the kind of potential which will lead to a stronger career than the one Alize Cornet has been able to produce at this stage. Bellis has some very positive numbers which will see her really challenge for the biggest prizes if she can increase those as she gains more experience.

However I do think she may be slightly overrated in this First Round match in Stanford against the Frenchwoman who is capable of playing very well on the hard court. Cornet can be a tough character to trust as she is capable of falling away mentally at any given moment in a match, but she has the return game to trouble Bellis in this one.

If Cornet is serving to the kind of standards she can produce, then she can give Bellis a rough ride in this one and this feels like it may be one game too many being asked of the American to cover.

While Bellis has had some tremendous performances in her young career, she has also struggled at times under the expectations which is not going to be a surprise with her lack of experience. Losses to the likes of Kirsten Flipkens and Naomi Broady as a big favourite on the hard courts has to be a concern for Bellis and I do think she is a little better when going into a match without the expectation of winning.

Bellis is improving in those situations but Cornet can keep this one competitive in the early hours of the morning in the United Kingdom and I will back the Frenchwoman with the games to at least keep this one close.


Jordan Thompson - 2.5 games v Ruben Bemelmans: It is hard to gauge where Jordan Thompson is in his career at this stage having had some positive results and some really negative ones. That inconsistency is an obvious concern when backing Thompson fresh off reaching the Final in a Challenger a few days ago, but at least that is more hard court experience of late than Ruben Bemelmans.

This does feel like a match that belongs on the Challenger level compared with the ATP 500 one and I think both Thompson and Bemelmans have to see this as a chance to really improve the World Rankings.

The Thompson numbers at the Challenger level on this surface are impressive enough, but I do want to give Bemelmans his respect. He may not have had the consistency of others players on the Challenger Tour on the hard courts, but Bemelmans has reached the Final of one tournament and the Semi Final of another which deserves respect.

Bemelmans is also 1-3 as an underdog on the hard courts this season and that is the situation in which he finds himself on Tuesday. Playing an opponent who has reached the Final of an event just days earlier may be important, especially when you consider the heat in Washington which was affecting players on Monday, but I am looking for Thompson to have the slight edge which can be found on the scoreboard at the end of the match.

Serving well is going to be important for both players, but I will look for Thompson to battle his way to a 7-6, 6-4 win in this First Round encounter.


Kei Nishikori - 4.5 games v Donald Young: This is a match up that has worked in favour of Kei Nishikori more often than not with five wins in six matches against Donald Young. The first match back on the hard courts can be tough for any player and that might be the biggest factor against Kei Nishikori going into this Second Round match.

His opponent Donald Young has had plenty of positive results over the last few weeks and he has a strong winning record on the hard courts which have to be respected. However his numbers are down across the board in 2017 compared with 2016 on this surface and I do wonder if there is going to be a decline in those results over the next month.

Last week Young was hammered by Lukas Lacko in Atlanta where he won just four games and he is going to be challenged by a returner as effective as Nishikori can be. While Young's own returning numbers are not that impressive, he is facing an opponent whose serve can be vulnerable when Nishikori is not feeling at his very best.

I would be concerned about that, but Nishikori should feel comfortable in the match up and that is important for him. While he may take some time getting used to the hard courts back underneath the feet, Nishikori can eventually have too much for Young and break down the American's game.

That should lead to a 6-4, 6-3 win for Nishikori who would have covered this number of games in 3 of the last 4 best of three set matches between these players on the hard courts.


Mischa Zverev - 2.5 games v Guido Pella: One player who is potentially going to be overrated going into the hard court season is Mischa Zverev whose numbers on serve are far below where you may expect on this surface. That is a problem for the German with the bigger tournaments ahead, but I still think he will be too good for Guido Pella in this Second Round match in Washington.

Like with many of the Seeds here in Washington this week, Zverev has to work his way back onto the hard courts against an opponent who has been playing in Atlanta last week and won a First Round match here this week. That may make Pella a dangerous player for Zverev, but the hard court numbers of the Argentine over the last three years are far below average.

His serve has not had the impact he would have liked and that is going to give someone like Zverev a chance, even if the German's return game is limited. However Zverev has produced some solid numbers on the return on this surface in 2017 and I think he will find himself in a position to break serve at least twice during the course of the match.

The Pella return has struggled on this surface although he may feel he can have an impact against Zverev if he can make a few awkward returns. Those will come against a player who will look to rush the net as much as possible and produce the serve-volley game that saw him make a big breakthrough at the Australian Open.

A first set tie-breaker could be in the offing, but I can see Zverev using that to help him get past Pella with a 7-6, 6-4 win.


Fernando Verdasco - 3.5 games v Ernesto Escobedo: You can see the steady decline in the Fernando Verdasco service numbers on the hard courts over the last three years. It is no surprise that the veteran is beginning to show his age in the numbers, but Verdasco has been continuing to win matches because his return has been a few points better than it has been in recent years.

The declining service numbers do make Verdasco more vulnerable to the upset, but I think the match up should be a good one for him against young American Ernesto Escobedo. The latter's service numbers on the hard courts have not been that impressive and Verdasco's return game should prove to be very successful over the course of the match.

It also has to be noted that Escobedo's return numbers are not that good and he might not be able to expose the declining Verdasco service numbers.

They have met once before in 2017 and Verdasco won a narrow match against Escobedo in two tight sets. The numbers on that day definitely leaned towards Verdasco in line with his season numbers and the same can be said for Escobedo, numbers which should see Verdasco have enough to win this one by a slightly wider margin.

Escobedo was beaten last week by Jared Donaldson and won just four games on the day. In this one he may win a few more games, but Verdasco can win this one 6-4, 6-4.


Peter Polansky - 2.5 games v Yasutaka Uchiyama: The draw in Los Cabos is not exactly the most loaded when you note two players who were in the Granby Challenger last week have been given direct entry into the tournament this week. The First Round match between Peter Polansky and Yasutaka Uchiyama is important for both as it gives them a chance to add some significant Ranking points compared to their usual level.

Both players are much more likely to be found on the Challenger circuit and it is Polansky who has beaten Uchiyama twice on the hard courts in 2017 at that level. That includes a victory over him in Granby last week with the biggest concern for the Canadian being fatigue having reached the Final there before heading over for this tournament.

That could be an issue, but Polansky has shown the superior numbers on the hard courts compared with Uchiyama whose two losses to Polansky have both come since Wimbledon. That's a tough position to be in mentally and the numbers from those matches definitely make for better reading for the Canadian.

It is Polansky who has been the superior returner in both of those matches and he has also been able to protect the second serve more effectively. Combining those two factors has given him the edge and I do think he can make it a hat-trick of wins over someone who will have the mental obstacle to overcome.

Uchiyama may have taken some notes from the last two matches that makes him more effective in this one, but I am looking for Polansky to find his way to a 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 win.

MY PICKS: Robin Haase - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Jiri Vesely - 3.5 Games @ 2.00 William Hill (2 Units)
Simona Halep - 5.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Alize Cornet + 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Jordan Thompson - 2.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Kei Nishikori - 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Mischa Zverev - 2.5 Games @ 1.73 Bet365 (2 Units)
Fernando Verdasco - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Peter Polansky - 2.5 Games @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 0-2, - 4 Units (4 Units Staked, - 100% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2016 (August 1st)

The Canadian Masters is in the books and put a strong July to a close having made a big dent in the season totals. The 2016 season has been a difficult one for my tennis picks, but July has helped to trim the deficit by almost 50% and that is the kind of momentum I am looking to take into August when we have two major tournaments at the Olympic Games and Cincinnati before the final Grand Slam of the season begins at the US Open on Monday 29th August.

The Olympic Games tennis tournament begins next Saturday, but there are still Tour events being played through this week with events in Nanchang, Florianopolis and Atlanta. The middle event is being played in Brazil and will actually come to a close on Friday so nothing interferes with the Olympic Games being held in Rio de Janeiro, although the other two events will end as they usually do at the weekend.

Finding picks this week from the tournaments which are weaker fields than they would be in a non-Olympic season is going to be difficult. On Monday I really couldn't find anything from the tournaments being played and this post is just updating the season totals after last week.

Perhaps there will be picks from tomorrow if I find anything that appeals, but Monday is going to be a 'rest day' with nothing that leaps off the page.

Season 2016: - 22 Units (1281 Units Staked, - 1.72% Yield)
Season 2015: - 21.81 Units (1812 Units Staked, - 1% Yield)
Season 2014: + 45.05 Units (1586.5 Units Staked, + 2.84% Yield)

Season 2013: + 21.74 Units (1251.5 Units Staked, + 1.73% Yield)

Season 2012: + 49.21 Units (855 Units Staked, + 5.76% Yield)

Season 2011: + 82.02 Units

Tennis Picks 2014 (August 1st)

It has just been a tough week with the little breaks not going my way, while the players must be feeling incredibly frustrated themselves in Kitzbuhel with all the rain affecting play.


Over the last couple of days, both men's and women's Tours have lost important figures for at least the next two weeks and possibly as far as the US Open, the final Grand Slam of the season. Na Li is definitely going to be out of action until after the US Open which has to be a real disappointment with doubts surrounding Serena Williams.

The tournament looks very open and Li has the capabilities of performing on the hard courts and would have been one of the favourites to win the title at Flushing Meadows.


Rafael Nadal is the other big name who has pulled out of both Masters tournaments coming up in Toronto and Cincinnati and that also leaves his participation in the US Open in doubt. If he is out for the next month with the wrist injury he suffered, the chances of Nadal finishing the year at World Number 1 would virtually be extinguished barring Novak Djokovic having a terrible end to the season.

After winning Wimbledon, Djokovic should have been given a shot in the arm in terms of confidence in the 'big' matches and he does look incredibly difficult to stop over the remaining three months of the season. He is the clear favourite to win the US Open this time and it is hard to go against that on current form and with Nadal out of action too.


Andreas Seppi + 2.5 games v Juan Monaco: Andreas Seppi has beaten Juan Monaco twice on clay already this season, but Monaco has had the better run on the clay although I am not convinced that is enough to make him a bigger favourite than he was when they met two weeks ago.

On that occasion it was virtually a pick 'em contest and both players took one set easily before the Italian came through in a deciding tie-breaker and I expect this to be a competitive Quarter Final.

Seppi has benefited from a bye through to this Round and I believe he will be the fresher player after Monaco's run to the Final in Gstaad last week. That may have rebuilt some confidence for Monaco, but he has lost three of the four clay court matches against Seppi and I do like the latter to at least keep this close, if not win the match outright.


Kevin Anderson - 3.5 games v Donald Young: I was actually expecting this match to feature at least one more game on the spread and I might have been less interested in taking this pick, but the current number of games is under-estimating Kevin Anderson I feel.

The big South African has won two matches comfortably in Washington and I would expect the serve to give Donald Young plenty of issues through the contest.

While Young had an impressive win over Denis Istomin, Kevin Anderson is much more consistent and won't drop his level as much as Istomin did at times. The serve should also create 'easier' points for Anderson and I am not surprised he has beaten Young five times in a row, albeit the last time they played on another is back in 2011.

Arguably Anderson has gotten better since then while Young is still in purgatory and I like Anderson to win this 64, 64.

MY PICKS: Andreas Seppi + 2.5 Games @ 2.00 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Kevin Anderson - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 7-11, - 8.10 Units (36 Units Staked, - 22.5% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2013 (August 1st)

The strange week continues as each pick takes one step forwards, while another takes a step back. I do feel they have been missing a little bit of luck that would have made this a much stronger week to this point, although I have also mixed in some really bad calls, the most recent of those being picking Laura Robson to keep her match close with Petra Kvitova (lost 61 62).

We have reached the Quarter Final stage at the tournament in Kitzbuhel, where the tournament will finish a day before the other two events in Washington and Carlsbad and those latter two tournaments will have their own Quarter Finals beginning on Friday. That means Thursday will be the day that Third Round action is completed at both events as long as the rain doesn't delay Washington any more than it was doing on Wednesday evening.


Juan Monaco - 3.5 games v Daniel Gimeno-Traver: It has only been a couple of months since these two players met in the First Round at the French Open and Juan Monaco must be kicking himself that he let a two set lead slip in that match.

Monaco seems to have a lot of fluctuations in his level of play these days and that will be the reason why he has been dropping in the World Rankings and he has fallen off the standard he set for himself last year on the Tour. He still can perform at a really good level for a set, but then things seem to go awry for no real reason.

He can't afford to do that against Daniel Gimeno-Traver who is a very capable player on the clay courts. However, the Spaniard hadn't been in a great run of form before his wins in the first two matches here this week and he does need to raise his level a little more if he is to spring a surprise.

Gimeno-Traver can be effective behind serve when he is on form, but the second serve will present Monaco some chances in this match. The conditions should aid the first serve for Gimeno-Traver here, but it may also give the Monaco groundstrokes some bite and I believe the Number 2 seed will come through 64, 64.


Fernando Verdasco - 2.5 games v Robin Haase: I mentioned in the picks yesterday that Fernando Verdasco has the tendency to wander off in matches from a mental point of view and that was clear in his Second Round win. What looked like a routine match became a dogfight in the second set and he failed to serve out the match before coming through in a tough tie-break and he won't be able to do that again in this Quarter Final.

He is facing a confident, two-time Champion in Kitzbuhel as he takes on Robin Haase- the last ten days, the Dutchman has shown plenty of good form and he has been serving effectively which will make him a tough out this week.

The serve could be the entire key to this match as both players can get double-faultitis at any time and it may even come down to at what point of the match they throw that in. Both Verdasco and Haase have been in strong form so I don't think it is a stretch to say the player who makes the best use of their big first serve and steers clear of giving away free points with double faults will be the winner.

I think this will be a fascinating match, but I just have the feeling that Verdasco's week of rest last week will bode well for him and Haase may just see the end of his run of success here in Kitzbuhel. I see the Spaniard winning a tight battle 63, 76.


Marcel Granollers - 2.5 games v Leonardo Mayer: Leonardo Mayer opened up the top section of the draw by taking out the Number 1 seed in the Second Round, but I think he may just have opened the door for someone else to take the Semi Final spot. That someone else is going to be Marcel Granollers who could be a little too consistent in this Quarter Final match.

Granollers has been beaten by Fabio Fognini and Robin Haase in the last two tournaments he has played, both players who went on to the Final in those events, which shows that he is in good form, while he is solely concentrating on the singles this week.

The Spaniard has a decent serve and he is fairly consistent off both wings off the ground. That should give him a good foundation against Leonardo Mayer, who is another player that is very comfortable on the slower surfaces.

This may be the best season that Mayer has had on the Tour since 2009, but it hasn't been a stellar one and he hasn't been in the best form since returning from an injury suffered earlier this season. However, he can string together some very good points and there is a chance that he can steal a set in this one, although Mayer is also someone who can drop his head and drop a set either 61 or 62.

There is every chance he can steal a set in this one, but I like Granollers to come through and reach the Semi Final with a 62, 46, 64 win.


Radek Stepanek - 1.5 games v Dmitry Tursunov: The layers are finding it hard to split these two veterans with the slight edge going to Radek Stepanek and I can't argue with that.

Out of the two players, it is Dmitry Tursunov who has had the better season as he once again becomes a regular on the main Tour, with some early successes moving him back into a decent position in the World Rankings. The Russian was one of the more interesting characters on the Tour a few years ago, but has drifted down the Rankings as poor form and injuries took their toll.

He still possesses a decent first serve that can set up the points and he will be able to get a few cheap points out of it, but he will want to keep the percentage high if he is to win this one. His problem is that Stepanek is very comfortable putting pressure on his opponent by attacking the net and the Czech player, who has had an injury affected season, has served well in his two wins this week.

I am not convinced that Tursunov has the consistency to find enough passes to win this match, although there is the possibility of this going into a deciding set. In my opinion, Stepanek will see enough second serves to get on the front foot and win this one 63, 46, 64.


Jelena Jankovic - 3.5 games v Urszula Radwanska: At this point of her career, Urszula Radwanska is becoming a little more comfortable beating those players she is expected to, but she is yet to make the breakthrough of taking out one of the big names on the WTA Tour.

While Jelena Jankovic isn't the player of a few years ago, she is still a very capable performer on her day and has the ability to put Radwanska under a lot of pressure. The return of serve is one of Jankovic's strengths and I expect her to use that attribute to break serve and the key to this match is whether we see the decent serve Jankovic possesses or the one that she has a problem holding on to.

I do expect a few breaks of serve in the match, but I think Jankovic is still capable of extracting enough errors from Radwanska to come through in straight sets. However, she can be the type of player that throws in a horrible performance when you least expect it so I am hoping we see the performance she is capable of in this match.


Ana Ivanovic - 5.5 games v Coco Vandeweghe: Ana Ivanovic split with Nigel Sears after her shock exit at Wimbledon and I would be surprised if the former French Open Champion and World Number 1 gets back to the very pinnacle of the women's game. She has a big game, but consistency is lacking while she can lose all rhythm in her serve and that puts her under immense pressure with too many unforced errors becoming her downfall.

Playing someone like Coco Vandeweghe could be beneficial as she is another that will look to get on the front foot and her own lack of consistency means she will give Ivanovic a number of free points in this match through her own unforced errors.

Both players are certainly capable of falling away in a match and rapidly reaching the finish line when they are off their game. Neither really strikes me as someone who would have the fightback if things start to go desperately wrong, although I favour Ivanovic in that position more than Vandeweghe.

The Serb has had a number of really surprising losses over the last twelve months, but I think she will be a little too good for Vandeweghe and record a 64, 62 win.


MY PICKS: Juan Monaco - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Fernando Verdasco - 2.5 Games @ 1.95 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Marcel Granollers - 2.5 Games @ 1.95 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Radek Stepanek - 1.5 Games @ 2.00 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Jelena Jankovic - 3.5 Games @ 1.83 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Ana Ivanovic - 5.5 Games @ 2.03 Pinnacle (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 7-7, - 1.54 Units (28 Units Staked, - 5.5% Yield)